Run
by Icewarriorx
Summary: Joey's good at running, but sometimes he doesn't run when he should and now it's come back to haunt him


Disclaimer: I own nothing but a box of rice krispee treats and a fan, so please don't sue.

Warnings: hmmm…well I'd say some violence, death, blood, maybe some hints of slash though it's more of a power play deal. Oh there will prolly be sentence fragments in this since it's kinda a stream of conscious type, sorry in advance for bad grammar.

Summary: Joey's good at running, but sometimes he doesn't run when he should and now it's gonna come back to haunt him.

Run

            Joey Wheeler was good at running. He ran everywhere; from his apartment to school, from school to the game shop. He loved to feel his feet hit the pavement, his lean, long legs pumping as his chest heaved pulling air into his lungs. Yeah, there was nothing Joey loved more than running and he was damn good at it. He ran everyday, had to run to escape that drunk of a father. Run from the bad man, run away, run to the street. Don't think… just run.

 He was running when he hit the other boy. Smacked right into him, warm honey brown meeting cold violet, two blondes locking eyes for the first time, but not the last. No, never the last. He remembered apologizing, holding his bleeding arm close to him; tiny glass shards still imbedded in it. The other boy had looked at him funny, then back to Joey's house and again back to Joey. The boys tan hand reached out and held Joey's wounded arm carefully inspecting it. Joey saw what he was doing and tried to pull back, except he couldn't. It was like his arm wasn't listening to him; Joey began to panic.

"It's not his fault! Sometimes Pop's just get's angry; he doesn't mean ta do it…." Joey cringed as the hand tightened on his arm. This guy wasn't buying it, hell Joey wasn't even buying it. Violet eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at the arm in his hand.

"Your father did this to you?" the voice was smooth, but held an edge to it. Joey really didn't like this boy touching him and asking questions. He wrenched his arm free, pulled back and punched the older kid hard in the face.

"Dat's none of your business!" he pulled back to punch again, but found his whole body frozen. The tanned boy stood up from the ground where he'd fallen, clutching a golden stick. He began to circle the confused boy, a predatory glint in his eyes, one that made Joey very uncomfortable. 

"You're very strong Katsuya…" he almost purred the words, causing Joey's discomfort level to increase. Though he did smile slightly at the compliment about his strength; he'd only been street fighting since he was eight, he better be strong by now. While he was mentally puffing himself up it occurred to him that this older boy that he didn't know had just called him by his first name. No one called him by his first name, not even his sister.

"How'd ya know my name?" his curiosity winning out over fear. The older boy smirked; his violet eyes held a calculating look.

"I know a lot about you Katsuya…your father hits you, beats you, makes you angry. He only cares about his alcohol, not his son or his daughter. Poor Katsuya, a strong powerful boy stuck with a man who cares about one thing." The older boy was practically whispering in his ear at this point, sending little shivers through Joey's body. Suddenly it felt like his body had been released, like he could move on his own again. The tanned boy held Joey's chin so that their eyes met.

"You want me to get rid of him?" the question was asked so simply; like asking if Joey would like some candy instead of his father dead. Violet eyes sparkled with mirth, power and something darker that Joey didn't even want to know about. His mind was screaming one word, one thought, the idea that never let him down.

_Run_

Joey knew he should get out of there, run from this boy with the strange eyes and deadly gifts. Run from the sweet words and dark thoughts that this boy was full of, run home. Home? What was at home, but a closet for a room, a drunk for a father, and beer for breakfast. Joey really did hate his father, had hated him ever since he made Serenity and his mom leave. Would the world really be so bad if his father was gone? His brown eyes continued to stare into purple, silently agreeing to the deadly deed. Violet eyes widened with surprise and joy as he released the younger boy and began to walk away. Joey turned to follow, but stopped when the older boy raised a hand and pointed back in the direction of Joey's home, indicating for him to run.

He should've ran, ran as fast he could away from that boy just like he was doing now. He was running from the father who had blown his brains out all over the interior of the apartment. Joey had seen the whole thing, the way his father just suddenly stopped drinking, went to the closet grabbed a gun and blew his brains out. Blood, brain, skull, tissue, skin all over the living room, all in front of Joey. He had watched his father take his own life and now Joey was laughing. The fear had turned into incredible joy: the bastard was dead. Oh Joey knew his father hadn't really committed suicide, he knew it had something to do with that golden stick. He could hear the police coming, one of his neighbors must've called them; probably some new person who actually paid attention to gunshots. That's when Joey began to panic; the police were coming and Joey had nowhere to stay, nowhere to go. He had no idea where his mom or sister were, there was no one to take care of him. So he grabbed some stuff and ran. Ran across the street, through the town anywhere he could; then he ran into the boy. Just plowed right into him like he had earlier, but this time the tan boy was ready and he enveloped the younger boy in a tight embrace almost a twisted hug and began whispering things to him. 

"Don't worry Katsuya, I'll take care of you" he purred "I need you to do things for me in return. Bring me things that I need" Joey nodded blindly in his arms not really caring what he had to do, as long as he was safe. Honey brown gazed into cold violet……

No, they weren't cold violet. Now they were wide amethyst full of confusion, friendship, and determination.

"Please Joey, don't do this, you don't have to work for Marik" he's lost and he knows it, he's barely standing on his little legs, dangerously close to falling over.

"Sorry Yuge…" and he means it, means every part of that phrase because he is sorry. Sorry for getting involved with Yugi and really sorry for actually becoming friends with the guy. Yugi's like his brother, and he loves him; even if he only became friends with him to keep an eye on the puzzle for his boss. But, he ended up cherishing their friendship more than anything. "…but he owns me." And that's true too because Marik does own him, has owned him since Joey ran into him when he was younger. Owns him twice now since he begged for help from him to help Serenity out of a mess she was in. He loves it too because even though Marik owns him, Joey has control when he's out on his missions; control to take the cards from duelists, artifacts from museums. Joey loves his control, but it's slipping now because he's gonna lose Yugi once he gets the puzzle. Yugi lost and now Joey was gonna lose too, but Marik was going to win and Joey had his word to keep.

"C'mon Yuge, hand it over" and he does, on shaking legs he crosses the arena and hands his most prized possession to his best friend, who will then help end the world. And as amethyst meets honey, he can't do it, can't kill his best friend, his brother. He takes the puzzle holds him close in one last hug and whispers one word in his ear.

"Run" 

The shorter boy shakes his head refuses to leave his best friend. All the protesting wares him out though and he collapses like a doll in Joey's arms. Joey holds him close for awhile hugging his brother, wishing it had been him in the alleyway all those years ago. With a final goodbye he stands up and begins to kick the other's bodies, as they wake up they see the puzzle hanging around his neck, eyes narrowing. Joey ignores their glares and eyes that scream at him about his betrayal. He shoves Yugi into an angry Tea's arms and begins to walk away. They begin to call after him demanding answers. He turns around, his last act of friendship.

"It's gonna be a whole new world…" they stare at him confused, angry, but most of all afraid as he walks away again. They can barely hear his warning, his form of a peace flag. It is so soft only a whisper, only one word, but it's what they need to do, what he should have done.

"Run"

Wow…not how I imagined it would turn out, kinda creepy when fanfic starts to write itself. Anyway I hoped u enjoyed it, please R&R as it means a lot and helps me-thanks *Ice*


End file.
